The Road Not Taken
by GreyMemories
Summary: Evelyn had thought she had found love with Cullen, but she could never shake the unshakable bond that she felt with Solas. And after a few incidents she is more confused than ever. Mainly Solas/Trevelyan
1. Chapter 1

"This concludes our lesson for today Inquisitor" Commander Helaine bowed but stood sharply "I expect you to study the tomes I gave you for our next lesson" and with that final order the Commander turned on her heels and marched away.

Evelyn breathed out a heavy sigh, staring forlornly at the heavy tomes, that she was convinced were going to make her a few inches shorter by the weight of them in her hand.

"Commander Helaine certainly is a remarkable teacher isn't she?" Vivienne chuckled from the balcony, twirling a glass of wine elegantly in her hand making Evelyn wonder if the First Enchanter would mind if she took the glass for herself. Although, after three grueling hours hunched over a tome reciting the same passage she wondered instead if Vivienne would mind if she took the entire bottle.

"Remarkable indeed" agreed Evelyn bitterly as she dropped the books onto the nearest surface rubbing her tired arms and flopping onto the couch in a huff.

The First Enchanter laughed warmly at the sight of the Inquisitor, leader of the most feared army in all of Theadus sulking like a child who was just told to finish their studies before they could go out to play.

"She won't hound at you forever my dear"

Evelyn scoffed "Really? And here I thought we would live out our days together, maybe find a nice cottage in the woods where no one would hear me bang my head on a table, ahh but a girl can dream right?"

"Sarcasm doesn't become you darling" Vivienne scolded lightly while she tided the tomes Evelyn unceremoniously discarded on her table.

"I'm surprised she didn't keep me longer, last lesson lasted five hours!" The Inquisitor exclaimed dramatically "Five bloody hours that I could have spent doing... Inquisitory things.."

"She only kept you because you were late"

"Two minutes! I was late two minutes!" Evelyn defended sitting up straighter, dropping her cheek into her hand "Which she was so kind to keep reminding me today"

"Perhaps you wouldn't have been late if you were not researching with our apostate?"

Evelyn groaned into her hand at Vivienne's grave tone. It seemed that the First Enchanter nor Solas could go one day without snidely insulting one another. "Are you two ever going to learn how to play nice?"

A thin smile was all Evelyn got in return for her answer, "You have already set tongues wagging with your latest entanglement with our dear Commander. It would be shrewd of you not to get to close, appearance wise"

"Commander Helaine and I have not entangled ourselves in anything First Enchanter, we prefer to keep our relationship professional" Evelyn replied, fighting through the blush that seeped up her neck and into her cheeks.

"Make jokes all you like my dear, but my concern still stands. While your _association_ with the apostate runs no further than academic, others will not see it as so"

"Well, if ' _tongues are wagging'_ about me anyway, they may as well have something to wag about" Evelyn rolled her eyes as Vivienne's lip curled disapprovingly. Evelyn decided that it was her cue to take her leave. Enraging the First Enchanter was never a smart move. "Well this has been lovely, I should be off. Thank you First Enchanter for your advice" The Inquisitor curtsied graciously when she stood from her seat.

Vivienne's eyes narrowed slightly "Make sure you remember to bring your books with you this time dear" and with that she twirled towards her balcony, arms folded.

Evelyn sighed as she picked up her books, or boulders if she had to go by the weight of them. Shifting them in her arms comfortably she left the balcony taking the exit that would lead to Solas's rotunda, knowing Vivienne was examining which exit she took when she heard a defeated sigh coming from the Enchanters balcony.

The library was quieter than usual when she entered. The only person she could see was an elderly mage tucked away sleeping in a far corner of the rounded tower. Even the ravens that Leliana kept at the top of the tower were oddly quiet. She presumed that most were either asleep of enjoying themselves in the tavern. She suddenly felt very eager to dump her books in her quarters and join them, if only to wash the stress of the evening away with Bull's special Qunari drink that made her woozy in all the good ways.

Descending down the rounded flight of stairs into the rotunda proved difficult at the mid-way point. Evelyn lost her grip on one of her books, which then fell down the rest of the stairs with a loud clatter on each step.

 _"_ Finished early Inquisitor?" Solas's voice came from the bottom of the stairs. Evelyn reached the bottom of the stairs quicker with the loss of the extra weight holding her down and met Solas's slight smile as he held her book.

"Yes actually, The Commander must of had her fill of me for the night" Evelyn replied wryly.

"You must be relieved. I hear Helaine is rather a force of nature" he chuckled shortly and led her into the rotunda, skimming through her tome.

"Oh that's Commander Helaine to you" she corrected jovially "She loves me really, in her own sour, strict way"

"My apologizes Inquisitor" his eyes twinkled with amusement. "How are your studies coming along?" He asked setting the tome onto his note ridden desk, two long fingers running along the lines of a page that caught his interest "If I am not mistaken, the techniques descend from those of Ancient Elven mages called Arcane Warriors"

"It's coming along rather well actually. Although Commander Helaine is twice as strict as the teachers I had in the Circle, it does produce results" Leaning her hip on the edge of his desk she pointed to the book on the desk and smirked "I remember reading about that in this book. They were called Dirth'ena Enasalin" she remembered proudly.

"That was the formal way of addressing the techniques you are learning, 'Knowledge that led to victory' yes. There were also mages who eschewed physical confrontation called it Ghilan'Him Banal'Vhen, 'The path the leads astray" he added with hinted amusement

"Ah yes, them" Evelyn blushed and smothered a cough in her hand "Smart-ass"

Solas raised a fine eyebrow up at her "I wonder what they would think to see their magic used in the defense of the Chantry"

Evelyn fixed him with a saddened look and downcasted her gaze "I can't imagine Ancient Elves would be pleased to see their magic used in such a manner actually"

A long finger brushed under her chin and tilted it towards him. He regarded her softly, though she could not establish what the look in his eyes was. Although she was close to all of her inner circle, most being loud, talkative, perhaps border-line insane, Solas mostly kept to himself, though she knew she saw more than most. It made her feel honored that he had shared himself with her like he did. Late night stories of the fade, his travels and even his interactions with Spirits. He became...alive when she would sit and listen to him for hours on end, if she let him talk endlessly. She mostly did. She always found herself lost in the way his voice grew loud when he described the battles of each ruin he had slept in and even when his cadence grew soft as he described a memory plucked from the quietest reaches of the fade. She found his passion endearing, understanding that through most of his happenings upon people being the Dalish or regular people they had tossed off his stories as if he was mad in the head and not worth their time.

She had seen how some members of the inquisition treated him and noticed the way his eye would twitch when Sera would groan "Ugh, Elfy stuff" if he tried to engage her in a talk about magic or Elven history. Or Vivienne's short but cold remarks on pretty much anything he said. His posture would grow more tense and his hands would clench behind his back. Though she understood Vivienne's skepticism at first, being raised and taught in a Chantry controlled environment since the age of five had made Solas's wild accusations about Magic seem impossible, until she started to listen. Slowly everything he began to tell her made sense, like bubbles surfacing from the darkness of a bottomless well.

All of her life she understood that the Fade, Spirits and Demons were all to be feared because as a Mage, they were more prone to possession if they gallivanted through the Fade which would result in them all becoming blood mages... blah blah blah. Yet here was an apostate with no Circle training but his own, surviving and working with magic beautifully and making it seem for the first time for her...well magical. She remembered watching him fight in the Hinterlands and admiring the way he moved with his magic and not the stiff way she held her staff, expecting to turn into an abomination if she embraced her Maker given gifts. Solas's view on the Fade made an impact on her that she could not fathom. A bird learning how to fly for the first time or when a new born foul takes its first steps before running.

"Magic was made to serve man and never to rule over him" Solas seemed to embody that entire saying she thought.

Though there were times when he regarded her as he did now. A slight dimmer of sadness would pass through his grey eyes as if he wanted to say more before he blinked and he remained neutral again, all emotion lost. It was one of the things that made her feels helpless, knowing that she couldn't help her friend but it gave her heart that he allowed her to be there for him.

"Perhaps they would surprise you, so much knowledge has been lost" his lowered voice brought her out of her haze. She realized that neither had said a word for over a minute but were simply just staring at each other. Blue and grey eyes searching each other for answers that had yet not passed each others lips. Evelyns gaze dropped to his lips at the thought and her tongue darted out to wet her suddenly dry ones.

A dull flush crept into Evelyn's face as she raised her stare to his again. Her breath almost caught in her throat as she noticed his eyes flicker back into hers as he was just gazing at her lips and holding her gaze with his so intensity. Under his silent gaze, Evelyn felt her heart beat a little faster than normal. She remembered feeling the same way when Cullen..

She inhaled sharply at the realization of what it would look like if someone was to walk in a see them standing nearly chest to chest, with his thumb under her chin and them staring deeply into each others eyes. Vivienne's words rang repeatedly in her head.

Solas immediately dropped his hand from her chin and stepped a respectable pace back, and in a stomach jerking realization she lamented the loss of him being so close to her.

"I believe it is late Inquisitor" he addressed her professionally, breaking the intimacy like a slash of a knife "It would be wise-"

"Would you like to share a glass of wine before we retire for the evening" she sputtered out, unsure of where that came from. Solas looked quite taken aback before regarding her for a moment,wary of her request. Evelyn straightened herself after a few breaths. Surely there was no harm asking a friend for a companionable glass of wine, Dorian frequently accompanied her to her quarters if there was promise of wine and a gossip tale that would leave the two out of breath and giggle on the floor in less than an hour.

"An Orlesian noble left me a bottle and it has been sitting in my quarters for the past fortnight untouched. Scandalous, I know. It's been a long night and we haven't had our nightly talks in quite some time. Join me?" she hesitated on the last note, unsure if he was misreading her invitation for something else. She was truthful, ever since her studies as a Knight Enchanter began, their nightly talks plummeted to an all time low.

Although they were always conducted in his rotunda, this was different.

When Solas turned away to face his desk, her stomach dropped feeling like she had crossed a line that never seemed close enough to be spotted until tonight.

An apology formed at the tip of her tongue when Solas turned around, her heavy book tucked under his arm and a smile on his face "It certainly has been too long, Inquisitor. You can tell me of your studies in more detail then" his arm outstretched to the door, allowing her to walk ahead of him.

Evelyn's shoulders sank in relief at his acceptance and giggled as she took the lead "Ever the gentleman".

Solas caught pace when they entered the Great Hall and began to chat lowly to her as they passed a few remaining nobles in the hall. Though Evelyn would normally listen to what her friend was talking about, her eyes were jumping from a few faces of whispering nobles who were doing a very bad job of actually whispering.

"Is the Inquisitor taking the elf to her quarters?"

"Why would she bed an elf, I thought-"

"She's a mage, what do you expect?"

"I saw her with the Commander..."

Solas's shoulder accidentally bumped into her, she could feel the discomfort waving off of him at each comment of nosy nobles. Peaking from the corner of her eye, she noticed how tall he held himself. His eyes were set straight ahead to the door of her quarters but his pace remained cool and steady. Another thing she found herself admiring.

Slightly grinning to herself, she linked her arm through his and gripped his bicep and continued to walk and keep conversation with him while nobles gasped and whispered behind their fans. She could see Solas's grin from the corner of her eye as he tried not to roll his eyes and giggled when his lips met her hairline. He was clearly enjoying this new role they found themselves in. Josephine was sure to have words with her after her daily lunch in with the nobles but after hearing a wine glass shatter to the ground, she knew it was worth it.

* * *

"That was quite the show lethallan. The Ambassador is sure to scold you in the morning" Solas chuckled as he sat himself onto her couch and set the hearth ablaze with a flick of his wrist. It was the second time that he was here and it hadn't changed much save only the new bed draped in Orlesian silk.

Evelyn giggled as she pored the wine "Oh I've put Josie through much worse, trust me". Two full wine glasses in hand, she walked over to where Solas was resting comfortably on the couch and handed a glass to him before making herself comfortable on the other side.

"I will take your word on that" he swirled his glass and took a sip. He smacked of his lips and emitted a low sigh of approval of the the vintage.

"It's to your liking then?"

"Very much so. Though you will have to act more accordingly to Orlesian standards when we attend the Winter Palace" a delicate brow lifted before he took a sip "Posturing is necessary"

Tossing her head back into the cushioned back she groaned "Why must we save Orlais again?"

"I do hope I don't have to remind you"

"Nope" kicking her legs up onto the couch to rest her wine glass on her knee "Leliana and Josie remind me almost daily" She leaned her cheek on her brown curls to look at him despairingly "I don't like the idea of you being introduced as my "Elven serving man", it belittles you and all you've done"

Solas swallowed and dropped his gaze "You cannot change the view of an entire empire over night lethallan" he looked back up, his stare soft "But it pleases me that you care"

"Of course I care Solas" her hand falling off her knee to hold onto his hand. She squeezed gently when he blinked at her for a moment, his expression unreadable.

For awhile after they fell into comfortable conversation. Talking in hushed tones, his thumb brushing her hand, watching each other in the dark room. The red light from the fire illuminating their faces softly, though it was dark Evelyn began to notice the slight glow to his grey eyes that almost made him look otherworldly. She had seen this happened to him a few time while camping. It never ceased to fascinate her in the dark tent when no lights were visible but his eyes. It was almost comforting, it kept her reassured that there was someone with her. But here, basking in the warm light of the fire, she dared to think that he was beautiful.

She even dared to say it out loud "You're eyes...they're beautiful"

Solas blinked, his face was an unreadable book but his eyes flashed in confusion momentarily before softening again "You have seen them before falon"

"I know, but-" she trailed off in a smile "I've never seen you in this light before". In truth Evelyn didn't know what term she meant that under. Again she felt her pulse quicken like it had in the rotunda. She had thought he was beautiful in this light. She had found him attractive when they had first met but that was a fleeting notion based on a first impression and was never thought upon again, until now. His strong jawline, full lips, firm body but also his calculating gaze that made her fell so trapped under, all appealed to her.

She had never looked at him in this light before.

Guilt tugged at her heart when she remember something, Cullen. She had pined over the Commander for months and only two weeks ago had kissed him on the battlements and had acted like a giddy school girl even causing Dorian to throw a book at her to snap her out of her daze. Now she is sitting with Solas, in her chambers with a half empty bottle of wine, staring at him as if he was a gift from the Maker himself.

What was she doing?

This was wrong

Cullen would be heartbroken

This was only a momentary notio-

"You are beautiful, lethallan"

Evelyn snapped out of her guilty haze to realize how close she and Solas had become. Wine glasses forgotten they sat side by side, turned slightly towards each other, foreheads brushing off each other, his breath enveloping her face sweetly. Evelyn's knees fell slanted to the side so that they were nestled on Solas's lap with Solas's hand brushing lightly up and down them. Evelyn shivered involuntarily when his hand settled on her thigh. Evelyn's tongue darted out from her mouth to wet his lips and she watched how Solas's eyes followed the movement.

Despite her past thoughts, Evelyn reached up her hand to stroke Solas's cheek. He leaned into the touch, sighing contentedly. His breath fluttered over her skin, increasing her heart beat with every exhalation. She wondered briefly, when was the last time someone had touched him like this? His time as an apostate rarely had him interacting with people. Going so long without contact with another person would wreak someone emotionally. She had seen it before in the Circle. Apostates being dragged in and thrown into a space with so many people often disoriented them.

His skin was smooth, she took her time caressing his cheek bones with her thumb. Her skin sang as she explored further. Fingers traced his eyebrows and eye and brushed over his scalp and down along his jawline. Tracing her hand back along his neck, she came into contact with with his earlobe. She felt Solas shiver on contact. She was unsure how to proceed, given she never touched the ears of an elf before but she was curious at the way Solas reacted so she continued dragging her fingers along the length of his ear.

Unexpectedly Solas moaned and pressed his forehead into hers when she rubbed the tip between her index and her thumb.

Evelyn gasped at the sound. Familiar heat coursed through her body, a pleasant throb began to beat between her legs. Her legs clenching immediately to release some of the tension building rapidly.

Neither moved for some time, both still trying to process how this situation came to be. Solas's hand was gripping her thigh tightly and Evelyn's hand had yet to move from his ears. Each were at a stalemate. Reason biting at both of them to release each other and move on before anything else happens. But desire held a far greater promise and they both easily gave in.

Solas's hand trailed hungrily up her thigh, pushing her dress up along with it and pushing her down flat on her back. He successfully trapped her underneath his weight and settled his pelvis directly between her legs. Evelyns legs caged him in and brought him closer, her other hand reaching up and applying the same amount of pressure to his other ear, electing a growl and a firm push of his hips into her.

Evelyn gasped when she felt his clothed length pressing into her clothed cunt fiercely. This was utterly the point of no return and she loved every second of it.

With each rub of his pointed helix between her fingers, she was rewarded with a rough snap of his hips into her. The two would have probably looked like two teenagers if they were caught as they rubbed their clothed sexes up against the other in a desperate need for release.

Solas hit a particular spot, electing a sharp moan from her and making her lose all sense. Any sense of hesitation she had was long out the window. This was a pure and carnal need that coursed through her, and she needed him. She clawed desperately at the back of his head and brought him closer. Her tongue leaped out and licked a long, wet swipe along his lobe and embraced his shivers when she latched her teeth around his tip and sucked.

Her actions brought out something she had never seen before. Solas out of control. He growled in her ear and bit her rounded arch back, encasing her hands in his and holding them over her head. His moves were almost animalistic as he rutted desperately against her. Her hips were being beaten down to rest tiredly on the couch as his movements quickened, she found it hard to keep up. Her legs tightened around his waist, bringing him as close as she could.

But it wasn't close enough

"Solas!" she gasped, her hands straining underneath his but his strength surprised her when he pressed her further into the couch "Please.."

Complying to her wanton moans she felt his hand release one of hers and trail down her chest, cupping a bound breast in his palm and massaging it. His mouth latched onto the other and mouthed into the fabric making Evelyn wish they were not in such a clothed state. Releasing her other hand he trailed it slowly down her neck, her chest and her thigh. His hand fought through the ruffled skirt until his hand rested on the hemline of her small clothes.

Evelyn's hand rested on his bicep and squeezed urging him to continue. She felt him smirk into her chest as he dipped his fingers gentle inside.

Evelyn tightened, her body going rigid with a strong release. She cried out a thankful pray to the Marker and gripped Solas's shirt as she brought herself down from such a high. Her eyes fluttered open and saw Solas looking down at her with a smirk painted over his smug face.

"I barley touched you" he chided and slipped his fingers out of her and drawing her small clothes down her leg. She instantly missed the feeling of him inside of her. She pulled him down and began to rub herself against him in a desperate attempt to have him back inside of her.

His breath tickled her neck as he chuckled, a mumble of the word "Impatient" passed through his lips although Evelyn was in no state to argue with him when something larger than fingers pressed against her folds. Solas's pants were drawn passed his backside and rested against his thighs and Evelyn took the opportunity to let her hand slide from his back to his firm buttox. She gave an encouraging squeeze and helped him move into her. Solas brought his nose against Evelyn's and they both moaned together.

Her legs pressed against his backside while her hand moved under his shirt to claw her fingers into his toned back. Solas's thrusts continued their pace of long and hard, driving every thought of worry from Evelyns mind and replaced them with fireworks behind her closed eyelids, as she clung desperately to the elf above her.

Each thrust brought them closer to madness as their thrusts became more erratic and less controlled. Solas repeated his actions of taken her hands and holding them down while he ploughed into her. She felt the familiar rise of mana tingling under her skin when Solas began whispering phrases in Elvish. The more he said, the more excited she became and was pleading his name with every thrust.

"Garas" he whispered into her neck before he bit down, hard. It was sure to leave a mark but at that moment she couldn't care as her inner walls clamped around him and for the second time, she saw stars.

Solas groaned and bit harder into her neck, surely drawing blood, as he climaxed after her. His warm seed exploding inside her, filling her up. His hips stuttered as he rode out his orgasm with her before falling still all together.

They lay together, him on top and still inside of her, caressing the mark on her neck almost possessively, her legs falling from his back and resting against his bare thighs. Her fingers resuming their markings around his face, her thumb swiping across his bottom lip a few times before her lips took their place. Their lips moved carefully and relaxed together and again they were lost in each other.

* * *

By the time they had moved the fire in the hearth had already died down and was nothing but embers. Evelyn had changed into her night gown and joined Solas on the bed. She managed to convince him to stay, even if she knew it wasn't a smart idea. The servants could walk in on them in the morning and the gossip would spread like wildfire. But yet she didn't want to see him go just yet.

Tomorrow would bring a new day and the end of their special night. They both had agreed that tonight was only a once in a lifetime opportunity and things would carry on as normal in the morning. Solas had promised he would be gone before the sun rose to avoid suspicion but until then they curled up in her bed, her head resting on his chest and his arms wrapped tightly around her.

Of course in the morning he had made good on his promise and left before the sun rise. Her bed was empty and any evidence of the previous night had been erased.

She tried to convince herself that it was good that this happened now and not further down the line lest they find themselves in an even worse struggle. It did not stop the guilt she felt when she entered the war room and saw Cullen, smiling up at her shyly from one of his reports. She still cared deeply for the ex-Templar and always will, nothing would ever change that. So she smiled back and proceeded pretending like everything was normal, just like they promised.

It was one night that would never repeat itself. It was only on the night of the Winter Palace did they realize how wrong they were.


	2. She Probably Would

Evelyn Trevelyan had seen some terrifying things in her lifetime. An ancient Darkspawn Magister, five High Dragons, giant spiders, giants, the Demon Army at Adamant and now the storm that was Josephine Montilyet. The grand masquerade in the Winter Palace was only three weeks away and the usually sweet, gentle Ambassador had turned into Evelyn's worst nightmare. Her mother.

Evelyn held very few memories of her mother, but the ones that remained only served to grant her a peace of mind that she did not have to go through the grueling years of being a noble in Ostwick. She had memories of a sharp voice reminding her to sit straighter and keep her elbows off the table while a firm hand patted her back sternly. Or being shoved into frilly dresses and dance lessons while her brothers played in the yard.

Ironically, the Circle helped her escape that life but trapped her in another cage. In all of her years practicing spells and enchantments, locked away from the outside world, did she never imagine that things would come full circle again. Instead this time, it was her Ambassador who claimed her mother's stern place.

"Inquisitor please, we have been through this numerous of times and the ball is only three weeks from now" a single strand of raven hair fell out of Josephine's immaculate bun and into her eyes, irritating the Ambassador even further as she tucked it hastily back in place.

"Now, like this" Josephine turned sharply and slapped her hands back in position into Blackwall's awaiting hands. The burly man jumped when the Ambassador unconsciously gripped his shoulder too tight but quickly regained composure and swept her gracefully across the Great Hall floor under her count.

The Inner Circle continued to watch slack jawed at the sight of the gruff Grey Warden leading Josephine in the Emperors Waltz as if he was trained by the King of Antiva himself.

Evelyn's head fell onto Dorians shoulder and groaned into his silk attire.

"I don't know why you are the one groaning, your feet haven't been trodden on by a druffolo today" Dorian quips but pats his friend on the back regardless.

"I'm sorry" she groans louder "I'm useless at this"

"I won't argue with you there. We're lucky Corypheus prefers to fight with magic and not the waltz, then we would probably send Blackwall after him" he pushes her off his shoulder and turns her back into starting position.

"With Josephine as his back up" she adds and lets him lead her around the room for the fiftieth time that day. They begin as they always do, gracefully, gliding around the room like two birds twirling through the air, the wind beneath their wings but somewhere before the dance could end Evelyn stumbles during a spin and locks her leg behind Dorians, almost causing the two to fall to the ground if the Tevinter hadn't caught them both at the last second.

Josephines frustrated cry echoed through the hall and stilled everyone. Evelyn only caught a glimpse of her crunched up face before it returned to her normal delicate position.

She clapped her hands together "It has been a long night, I suggest you all get some rest" her gaze turned sternly on Evelyn " and be here first thing tomorrow after breakfast". She ignored the groans of the company and paced furiously to her office, wiping the perspiration off her brow.

"Well" Varric rubbed his hands together, clearly happy that the teacher left the room "Who's up for a round of Wicked Grace?"

Several "Me" and "Count me in" chimed through the hall as a few members all but ran out of the room in case Josephine decided to continue with the lessons.

Evelyn rubbed Dorians shoulder sympathetically when he said he would rather turn in for the night and put his feet up. He limped faster to his room after Bull waggled his eyebrows and offered to give him a "rub down". Evelyn smirked to herself when she realized that she was probably going to have a new dance partner tomorrow if Dorian was..feeling bed sore.

"You in Sparrow?" Varric called from his table, shuffling the his cards towards her to tempt her in.

"Not tonight Varric, I'm going to try to keep in Josephines good books, at least until the ball is over"

"That might be a good idea" a warm hand rested on her shoulder and she smiled when she saw Cullen smirking beside her. Evelyn grinned and turned in towards him.

"Although I might be persuaded into it if you were going to play" she winked, pleased that she earned a dull blush from him.

"Oh no, I won't be talked into that again" his hand trailed down his face, wiping the memory of his embarrassing moment away before cupping her under her chin "Besides I have training with the soldiers in the morning, I will need my armor for that"

Evelyn giggled as she leaned in to peak him good night on the lips but stopped half way and narrowed her eyes at him "Wait, you're getting out of lesson tomorrow!?"

His scar on his lip tugged up sharply in a rugged smirk "Commander's are needed to train the army, not dance, thank the Maker"

"But- that's not-" she huffed then looked him sharply in the eyes "No"

"No?"

"I'm pulling rank, Inquisitor says 'No', if I'm going down I'm taking you with me"

His chuckled rumbled deep in his chest and his eyes twinkled "I will see you after the training is done" he planted a kiss on her forehead "I'm sure the dance lessons will still be on, knowing Josephine"

"I better see you, or it's latrine duty for a month" her back straightened as she adapted her 'strict Inquisitor' pose, but the amusement in her eyes took away the backbone of her threat.

"Of course, Inquisitor" he nodded and bent his head to capture her lips. The warmth of his mouth sent a current running through her body. Evelyn placed her hand against his armored chest while the other searched for his hand as she lost herself as he held her closely.

By the time her hand reached the back of his neck, a wolf whistle sounded from Varrics table in the corner. The two broke apart slowly, already used to having someone break them apart at this point to be embarrassed, though Cullen still burned a bright red. Sera was leaning her chair away from the table making kiss faces and smashing her two hands together, in what could have only have been some lured act. Blackwall turned her chair back to the game, allowing the couple to have some privacy.

Cullen cleared his throat and pecked her on the head "Goodnight"

"Goodnight" she replied and retreated back to her room, tossing a smile over her shoulder to him before entering the stairway.

* * *

Evelyn trudged tiredly up the stairs to her room and unclasped the hooks that held her dress together at the shoulder. Josephine had insisted she wore a dress instead of her usual skirt today in order to get used to the feel of dancing with the fabric lapping at her heels. The dress pooled unceremoniously to the ground, leaving her in her under garments.

Too tired to hang the dress up, her tired brain convinced her to let it stay there until the morning. Before her head hit the pillow she prayed that Josephine would ignore the creases on it.

Evelyn snuggled up in her blankets and it didn't take long for the fade to wash over her.

"Ah Inquisitor, what brings you to me?" Solas's voice rings around her before she can open her eyes.

She was standing in his rotunda, wearing the gown that she recently left on her floor. He stood by his desk, as he normally did when she visited him. She had to chuckle that he would, of course, be hunched over his table in her dream. Although she knew this was him and not some Spirit as the light in his eyes held the same intelligence and respect he had in the real world and not the glazed over eyes of a Spirit.

"We're in the fade again" she stated.

His eyebrows arched with amusement and a look that said 'Really? I hadn't noticed' "Astute as always Inquisitor"

Evelyn rolled her eyes but walked over to his desk, amazed to see that his notes were the ones that he was researching in the real rotunda.

"I'm surprised that I realized this time" She remembered the last time she encountered him in the fade. She had gone to ask him more about himself and then he led her to Havan and strolled the grounds with her before she realized that Havan was buried under a grave of snow along with an army of Red Templars.

"Once someone has breached the walls, as you have, I would imagine that it would be quiet hard to forget" He closes his book and moves to her side "Now, give me your hands"

Evelyn double takes at his request "Pardon?"

"We have three weeks until the ball in the Winter Palace" he picks her hands up himself and places them in the position of the Emperor's Waltz "Every action you make there will have a long term effect, whether it be for good or ill" his hand grips her waist firmly and stands them straighter "Now, dance with me"

Evelyn stalls their movements, her brow furrowing curiously. Her mind already hazy from their close proximity "You can dance?"

"I have seen countless of memories in the Fade of jovial Spirits dancing around a roaring fire, their bodies and hearts communing with the heavy beating of the drums" he pulls her closer and began to move, he glided her freely around his rotunda, a smile pulling at the corner of his lips "But I have also witnessed a great deal of courtly dancing, where the actions were so restricted and watched but brought two pairs of people close enough to feel the rhythm coursing through them and letting them feel they were dancing atop a cloud. Weightless"

Evelyn followed the steps as easily as she could while listening, engrossed in his tales on the fade once more. She repressed the light feeling that fluttered in her stomach at the feel of his hands on her waist. She had not forgotten their night they shared four months ago but she also didn't think too much on it. It was a mutual decision made by the pair to never let it happen again as it would cause a rift that would never fully heal.

Evelyn still held him dear to her. They continued their nightly discussions (in his rotunda) as per usual but a certain air had shifted around them that they both knew could never be changed. Often a time their fingers would brush together while reading a tome or simply because they stood too close and they gravitated towards one another. She oft let her fingers linger on him for a time to long before a pull in her hear reminded her of Cullen. Her Cullen. The man she was deeply in love with.

Sometimes when she looked at him she wanted to drop to her knees and beg his forgiveness for what she had done. She never could explain why her and Solas connected on that particular night when she had never felt anything but friendship to him before that, to herself, so how could she explain it to Cullen?

On one night when her guilt began to gnaw at her, she had planned to tell him. Even if he hated her, she was going to tell him. However when she arrived in his office on wobbly legs, she found him hunched over her desk in the throws of another Lyrium withdrawal. His golden hair was matted against his forehead and his hands and clenched the desk so hard, she was surprised that it didn't break.

She dropped all concerns and guilt over herself and rushed to his side. Helping him to sit down on the couch while she removed the heavy plate of his armor and bringing a damp wash cloth to his head to cool him down. It was the first night the two spent together. Well, she barley slept as she combed his hair through her fingers, gentle massaging his scalp while he kicked and grunted in his sleep. It was then she knew she loved him. Loved him for his bravery, his determination to leave all the wrongs he had done in his life.

She had wanted to tell him, but the words turned to ash in her mouth because she felt like she didn't deserve to love him.

She felt sick, disgusted with herself that she actually let that night happen. She tried to convince herself to distance herself from Solas and focus solely on Cullen.

She didn't even make it a day before she went to visit the familiar rotunda. In fact she found it harder to stay away from him. Her visits became longer and sometime she just sat on his couch, a book in her hand and enjoyed his company.

She felt something when she was with Solas. A need to be with him, to see him, to touch him. It dawned on her that she had always felt that way. Even at Havan she had visited him in his cabin more that the rest of her Inner Circle and the two often took the same tent while they were out on an excursion. Even after their night they still shared, only to awake in each others arms, limbs tangled, foreheads touching.

It led to some awkward mornings but after a while they gave up distancing themselves in the tent and instead held each other as they drifted to sleep.

It was a pull that she couldn't shake, so she embraced it to a limit that it would never go that far again.

"You are improving already" his voice shakes her out of her hazy thoughts again. They must have stopped dancing a while ago and ended up in their usual embrace of being locked in each others arms while staring at each other, lost in thought.

"You're just a good teacher" she replies.

He chuckles breathlessly "Anything to save Dorians toes"

A thought enters her head, though she thought to keep it to herself "I believe Dorian won't be joining the lessons tomorrow, would you step in for him?" Well, so much for keeping it to herself.

Solas cocks his head and stares down at her. His eyes remain their usual grey but for a moment she was captivated by the slight blue tinge that shot through them. "I would be honored, Inquisitor". He bent his head and pressed his lips softly against her cheek.

Her heart flutters uncontrollably and she tilts her head towards him. He stops half way away from her cheek, his breath washed over her face. It smelled like the sweet tea he drinks and suddenly she has an urge to know what it tastes like.

Luckily reason snaps a hold of her just as the pair begin to lean in, to connect again as it suddenly felt like it was too long since they were together. She pulls back, not entirely out of his embrace but just enough for him to see the sullen expression of guilt in her blue eyes under her thick lashes.

He leans forward once more but whispers in her ear, her spine tingling "I will see you tomorrow, Inquisitor"

Evelyn's eyes open with a start. She is no longer in the painted rotunda but back in her Orlesian silk bed. The first thing she notices is the stiff ache between her legs that has her pressing them tightly together.

She rolls over, ignoring the repetitive beating but after long minutes, it doesn't leave and the thoughts of her encounter in the Fade with Solas only make it worse.

She hated herself when her fingers dove frantically down her small clothes and slipped, embarrassingly easily into her.

She hated herself when her wicked thoughts don't turn to Cullen, but to the night she shared with Solas and how much she wanted him again.

She hated herself that if she could have him again, she probably would.


End file.
